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Clacker
The Clacker (Latin: Morsus everto meaning 'Biting Demon') was one of the many subspecies that collectively made up The Swarm. Named for the sound of their snapping jaws as well as their scuttling movement, Clackers were a basic, common and often underestimated enemy that could prove deadly at the best of times. Usage In combat, Clackers were employed as small, rapid and agile melee units, complementing the larger Reaper in this role. Although not able to inflict damage on anything larger than infantry, a single Clacker could easily pounce on an unwary infantryman and bring him down. In addition, their small size meant they were able to easily infest an area such as a building or more dangerously, a vessel, making it hazardous for any actions there to take place. To facilitate this, Clackers were often used in large, overwhelming numbers and waves, further contributing to the 'Swarm' moniker given to the species. The main biological usage of the Clacker, however, was to incapacitate potential hosts on the battlefield. Swarm reproduction relied on using a (preferably living) host, into which fertilised eggs were injected to slowly eat the host from the inside. In order to accomplish this, the Clacker featured in its large lower jaw a gland which secreted an extremely powerful neurotoxin; even a small amount could knock out an Elite twice over for several days. Physical Characteristics Clackers were small, crab-like insectoids with six thin legs and wide bodies that tapered towards their rears. Clackers were small, agile creatures, approximately a metre in height and 1.5m long. However, their most prominent feature was their large heads, dominated by a set of huge jaws. Contained within their jaw was a gland which secreted a powerful neurotoxin which the Clacker used to incapacitate victims. The Clacker's jaws had a crushing force strong enough to shear through metal and could harm individuals even protected by powered assault armour. Clackers had eight eyes; two on the upper jaw and two on the lower one, on each side. Clacker's jaws were unique in that the bottom one was stationary, while the upper one hinged, the exact opposite of most encountered life forms. This allowed them a greater range of movement when lunging for taller beings, considering the Clacker's diminutive height, allowing a higher chance of incapacitating the target. Clackers were the lowest and most basic type of Swarm, hatching in numbers of dozens out of often still living hosts. After two years in this form, Clackers would transform into either Drones, Reapers and Harpies, for the second, 'pseudo-adult' stage of Swarm development. This transformation occurred in a 3:2:2 ratio, though how such a rigid proportional system was maintained in a biological organism was unknown. Behaviour Clackers were unintelligent by Swarm standards, being incapable of sentient thought or anything beyond instinctual behaviour. However, like all Swarm types, Clackers possessed a seemingly unending desire to inflict pain, very often mangling their enemies with their enormous, shear-like jaws. Clackers did not often operate alone, mainly sticking to groups of between five and twenty individuals. Preferring small, cramped places to wide open areas, Clackers were hive-oriented and used ambushes, speed and agility to surprise, swarm and overwhelm unprepared enemies. Clackers possessed extraordinary night vision, being able to see perfectly in conditions with five times less light than even a Theran, and with a love of ambushing prey in pure darkness. Clackers were essentially the lowest, most basic and most numerous form of the Swarm and were therefore often underestimated. However, those who did so were often lucky if they survived not to make the same mistake a second time. Trivia *The author wishes to acknowledge the Clacker by SheWhoKnows, which served as the starting point for this article. That particular incarnation of the Clacker was created before its role and place in the Swarm had been finalised, though was valuable in creating this article. *The basis for the appearance of the Clacker comes from the Parasites in the film, Cloverfield. Category:The Swarm